


Josephine's Daydreams

by morrezela



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Getting Together, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 09:08:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19248127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morrezela/pseuds/morrezela
Summary: Josephine spends a lot of time thinking about Evelyn Trevelyan. (And spends a lot of Cullen's time avoiding Leliana's questions about it.)





	Josephine's Daydreams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anxiousgeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiousgeek/gifts).



Josephine had always begrudged her sister’s flights of fancy. Yvette had no compunction about throwing herself in any direction she felt to be romantic or exciting or thrilling. Yvette’s antics had always grated upon Josephine’s nerves. Her willing blindness to her duties was infuriating. 

But she’d be lying if she said she didn’t understand those impulses. Deep down inside, Josephine Montilyet was a romantic. Oh, the soft edges had long since been worn away from the fantasies of youth. Life as a bard and then a diplomat had shown her that political power and not love was the driving force behind most attempts to drag her to the nearest bedchamber. 

Still, she couldn’t help herself. She wanted the kind of warm relationship that filled up the pages of her favorite books. She yearned for somebody to love her and not just her family name. There were also baser yearnings that flitted through her mind from time to time. 

One such occasion being the time she first set eyes upon the Herald of Andraste. Evelyn Trevelyan was wearing an atrocious set of beige clothing. Her brown hair was done up in a simple bun. To put it simply, she was not at her best. Yet her beauty shone through nonetheless. She had a very pretty face. And even her odd tunic could not conceal the broadness of her shoulders or the strength in her arms. 

The background information on Evelyn spoke of a good family. Though it had been whispered in more than one ballroom that the Trevelyans had so many children because they fucked in an unrespectable way, they also held a great deal of other kinds of respect among the nobility. Though fourth born to her house, Evelyn had good manners to match her sardonic wit and occasionally seething temper. 

Despite herself, Josephine became smitten. By the time Evelyn’s title went from herald to inquisitor, she was hopelessly infatuated. Her sole comfort came from the fact that she was not alone in her appreciation. Comfort… and not a small amount of jealousy. 

Though she basked in Evelyn’s attention whenever she stopped by her desk, Josephine was well aware that the Inquisitor paid equal attention to other members of her inner circle. Even if she wanted to forget about it in a bid to live in a land of blissful fantasy, the inquisitor made it impossible. 

“I think my ass will never forgive me for going to talk to Leliana,” Evelyn whispered one day. “Why does she insist on staying at the very top of this place? Even Vivienne has more mercy on me.”

What she was supposed to reply to that statement, Josephine did not know. What she went with was, “I’ll contact the tailor making your formal wear to remeasure it then.” 

Evelyn laughed. Josephine drowned in her own embarrassment. She hoped that they discussed nothing important beyond that point as all she couldn’t remember any of it. 

The mortification of that encounter should have served as a warning to her. Inquisitor Trevelyan was going to be her ruin. But Josephine had more in common with her sister than she imagined, because all she could focus on was how Evelyn’s face crinkled when she laughed. Well, not all she could think about. She also spent a great deal of time thinking about the way Evelyn hefted her greatsword. Thinking about the greatsword lead to more than a few pieces of correspondence being ruined due to her daydreaming. 

“Are you alright, Josie?” Leliana asked the day she stumbled across Josephine at the exact wrong time. 

“Fine,” Josephine replied, pretending that there wasn’t a giant puddle of ink in place of the words she’d meant to be writing. 

Leliana’s replying look said she didn’t believe her. 

She mustered a better lie of, “Truly, I’m just tired.”

Leliana didn’t seem to believe that either. Thankfully, a messenger arrived with some intelligence report or another, and she hadn’t pressed Josephine on the matter. However, that moment of respite was not going to last. Planning needed to be done if Josephine wanted to avoid Leliana prying into her fantasies about Evelyn. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were plenty of people in Skyhold, but few that could be entrusted with the task of distracting Leliana. Vivienne was capable, but certain to turn the situation to her own advantage. Cassandra would snort and refuse. Varric was too smart to become involved. 

The availability of her distraction was another point of consideration. Although Evelyn tended to only take a few people out in the field with her, she didn’t always take the same ones. The person Josephine chose to run interference for her needed to be around even if Evelyn wasn’t. Although he wasn’t perfect for the job, Josephine was forced to admit that Cullen was best suited for it. 

“At least he’s going to be easy to bribe,” Josephine sighed to her latest botched letter. A tray full of sugar cookies and a quick shortcut by an intensely scowling Solas later, she pushed her way into Cullen’s domain. It took her eyes a while to adjust to the dim lighting and made a note to order him more candles. 

“Ambassador, what can I do for you?” Cullen asked, guileless instead of suspicious about her rare appearance in his rooms. 

“I had the kitchen staff make you some of those cookies you enjoyed,” Josephine explained. 

“Really? You didn’t have to.” 

“It’s nothing.”

The plate of baked goods was on his desk and his hand was half-way to picking one up before it even dawned on him that there was anything unusual going on. “Why are you bringing me these?”

“You’ve been working hard lately with the new recruits, and it’s my job to keep everything at Skyhold running as smoothly as possible.”

Cullen’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, but why didn’t you use a runner? It’s what you did when you sent me that, uh, lovely jacket.”

Josephine wanted to scowl at the mention of the jacket. Evelyn had been amenable to having her less than aesthetically pleasing clothing choices fixed. The commander was less flexible. But she was a professional, so she didn’t let her displeasure in his continued dedication to being an eyesore show. 

“I just thought we should become better acquainted. We don’t speak much outside of war tables meetings.”

His eyes narrowed even more. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re hitting on me. But I know you’re not, so you must want something.” Subtlety was never going to be his friend. 

“What makes you say that?” 

“I have eyes. I know that you and the inquisitor are, well, you know.” He coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “And I know what bribery looks like too.”

Josephine resisted the urge to join him in awkward twitches. “The inquisitor and I aren’t together.”

“Really?”

“I think I would know if we were.”

“Oh. Well, you might want to mention that to Leliana. As I understand it, she’s planning on having a talk with the inquisitor.”

 

“What? No! Why would she? No!” The horror that gripped Josephine’s heart warred with the anger building in her. It wasn’t Leliana’s place to be talking to Evelyn on her behalf. But to have the inquisitor discover Josephine’s interest through such a discussion would be far worse. 

 

Cullen’s hand appeared on her arm as he guided her over to a chair. “Perhaps you should sit down.”

“You have to stop her,” Josephine ordered him. 

“Me? Why?”

“I brought you cookies.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In general, Josephine didn’t think much of Fereldans. Their politics were unrefined. Their traders were to blunt. Their clothing was hideous. But they were also completely unafraid of Orlesians, even if they should be. 

At least Cullen was brave enough to face Leliana’s wrath once Evelyn returned from her latest rift closing trip. Even though Josephine’s attempt to secure his allegiance had ended with a couple of green recruits escorting her back to her room lest she pick a fight with Leliana, he’d still gamely run interference for her. All for a plate of cookies. Or maybe he was just concerned about the fallout from them fighting. 

It was a stopgap measure though. Sooner or later, Josephine was going to need to deal with Leliana’s plans to protect her. The idea of Evelyn overhearing about Josephine’s interest through gossip over an argument was unbearable. Though the idea of discussing said interested with Evelyn was worse. 

“Does Cullen seem odd to you?” Evelyn ask as she sauntered up to Josephine’s desk. 

“He is a Fereldan. Their ways are… interesting,” Josephine demurred. 

“No, not that. He’s acting strange, right? It’s not just me? As much as my muscles appreciate him constantly talking to Leliana lately, that’s not something he does.”

“I suppose you have a point.” The nerves that started working their way up Josephine’s throat were most unpleasant. “Inquisitor, do you have a moment to speak? In private if possible.”

“Of course. Want to go up to my loft?” Evelyn suggested. She sounded funny, but Josephine figured it was the blood rushing through her veins that made her sound that way. 

The walk up to Evelyn’s room was short, but it felt like it took forever. Though Josephine found she couldn’t complain about the view. Whatever pain Skyhold’s stairs had given the inquisitor, they had also done wonders for her posterior. 

“Well, here we are,” Evelyn said in an almost nervous tone as she gestured around the room. 

“Indeed,” Josephine agreed for lack of anything better to say. “Inquisitor, I was wondering if we could…” Her words were rudely cut off by a kiss. Warrior’s speed, Josephine had heard it called. Now she knew why. If Evelyn rushed into battle with the same ferocity, her foes must surely tremble before her just as Josephine found herself doing. 

Evelyn’s fingers found their way into Josephine’s hair, tugging her hair free as she pulled away from their kiss. “That was what you were asking for, right?” 

The smile on her face was so happy that Josephine hadn’t the heart to correct her. So instead she reached up to pull loose Evelyn’s own bun before pulling her in for another kiss. 

Strong hands landed on Josephine’s waist to pull her closer before they began to roam. There were no noises of frustration as Evelyn’s fingers undid the fastenings on Josephine’s outfit. There were a few moans as Josephine returned the favor, but even those were quickly forgotten as their bodies pressed together. 

There wasn’t much time to think as they sank into the overly large bed taking up Evelyn’s room. But for once, that was fine with Josephine. Even though she was a diplomat, she could appreciate when the time was right to give up words in favor of action. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waking up in a bed that was not her own was an unusual experience for Josephine, but the heat of Evelyn’s body curving along her backside made it a pleasant one. 

“Good morning,” Evelyn sighed as she pressed a kiss onto the back of her neck. 

A giggle wound its way out of Josephine’s throat. It was a giddy laugh. One that inspired Evelyn let her hands wander downwards to slide between Josephine’s legs. Deft fingers teased between the folds of her cunt, stirring memories of the night before. 

But the morning’s love making was not fraught and frenzied even if the passion was the same. It was almost as silent as the sunbeams making their way across the floor as the day aged. 

By the time they managed to disentangle themselves from each other, it was far past the time that either should have risen. That fact didn’t stop Evelyn from stealing more kisses as Josephine tried to make herself presentable, and it didn’t stop Josephine from returning the favor. If neither of them had tidy hair when they finally emerged, Skyhold’s court was just going to have to live with it. 

“I’ll see you later,” Evelyn whispered before placing a final kiss to Josephine’s cheek. 

It was enough to make her swoon, but she held it together because she was a professional. As a professional, she had work to do. She headed to her desk to see what mess of paperwork had accumulated due to her tardiness. 

The instant she pushed through the first door, she could hear the strident nasal tones of the Inquisition’s commander. “No, I don’t know when the ambassador is going to be in. No, I don’t know what color she wanted the dress uniforms in. Does red versus dark blue truly matter?”

Hurrying her step, she burst through the door before Cullen could ruin the Inquisition’s reputation with Orlais forever. “The red ones,” she announced as calmly as she could. Her assistant all but fled the room, seemingly needing to get away from the fashion challenged Ferelden sitting in Josephine’s chair. 

“It’s about time you showed up,” Cullen censured as she approached her desk. He looked nearly as flustered as she felt. 

“What are you even doing here?” Josephine asked as she shooed him out of her spot. 

“It’s not my fault. I was looking for you and then all these people were demanding answers. They wouldn’t leave.”

Josephine let out the sigh she’d been holding in because Cullen wouldn’t care. “And what was it that you needed me for?”

“I came to tell you I quit,” Cullen announced. “I’m done running interference with Leliana for you.”

“Leliana can scare the stoutest hearted among us,” Josephine consoled him. 

“She didn’t scare me,” Cullen scoffed. “She gave me one of her ravens.”

She supposed she should’ve expected something like that. Gaining allies through bribery only worked so long as you weren’t out bribed. “Yes, well. I was going to talk to Leliana anyway. So you can’t quit, you’re fired.”

Cullen didn’t seem impressed by her comeback given the way he all but rolled his eyes as he walked away. But Josephine didn’t care. Now that he was gone, she could daydream about what Evelyn was doing and what Evelyn was going to be doing later. Things like kissing out on her balcony. Or licking slowly along her…

“I know we just parted, but I couldn’t wait to see you,” Evelyn announced as she walked out of Josephine’s fantasies and into the real world. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“Of course not. In truth, I was a bit distracted anyway,” Josephine admitted. 

“Yes, I noticed.” The smirk that settled on Evelyn’s face just wouldn’t be as charming on anyone else. 

“Perhaps we should take an early lunch break,” Josephine suggested. 

“Who am I to go against the wise counsel of one of my advisors?” Evelyn said as she grabbed Josephine’s hand and pressed a kiss on its knuckles.

They really shouldn’t go back up to the inquisitor’s chambers. They both had work to do, and Josephine needed to go have a chat with Leliana before Leliana had one with Evelyn. But she let herself be lead away anyway. 

It wasn’t a fairy tale romance, but it was close enough.


End file.
